(Psalm 41:5-13 ESV) (5) My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?” (6) And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad. (7) All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me. (8) They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.” (9) Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. (10) But you, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them! (11) By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. (12) But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. (13) Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.
[March 23, 2023: Editors’ notes:
—For some comments made prior to March 23, 2023 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be an exact match.
—For some comments made prior to March 23, 2023 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be found in the post.
If you would like to compare the text in the comments made prior to March 23, 2023 that quoted from the post to the post as it is now (March 23, 2023), click here [Internet Archive link] for the most recent Internet Archive copy of the post.]
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UPDATE Sept 2021: I have come to believe that Jeff Crippen does not practise what he preaches. He vilely persecuted an abuse victim and spiritually abused many other people in the Tillamook congregation. Go here to read the evidence. Jeff has not gone to the people that he spiritually and emotionally abused. He has not apologised to them, let alone asked for their forgiveness.
A Cry For Justice 
Amen. This is a good prayer.
I thought about David’s words, and how so many “well-meaning” Christians would have said of him, or “to” him, today….
“You need to move on.”
“You need to forgive.”
“You need to let it go.”
“Vengeance is the Lord’s.” (which it is). Let “God” do what is needed to be done to the offender.
Yet, it is a prayer, to God, for God to raise “him” (David) up, so “he” (David) can repay them for what “they” have done “to him”, or “said of him”. Kinda shocking….and comforting, and of course, validating, that there “is” something even the offended, “can” do, to redeem a bad situation….God can use us, or someone working on behalf of an offended, to work His will on the offenders for what they do to destroy the innocent.
We can “do something” to prevent further abuse of others.
John Gill is one of my favorite commentator’s on the Bible, and I was surprised to see how he commented on this Psalm, “as a prophecy of Christ relationship with Judas” versus David himself saying these words, even going as far to say it is not David, or even Hezekiah’s situations being spoken of? See below. But, I also went to Matthew Henry’s commentary, and found a more literal interpretation of the same chapter (see below Gill).
John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Psalms 41
(John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. [Internet Archive link])
Matthew Henry commentary
Psalm 41
(Psalms 41 [Internet Archive link])
Oh yes, what a wonderful psalm. The Scriptures contain the answers for victims because God is the source of true justice and the original Advocate for justice and righteousness. Without Him, there can be no justice, and with Him, injustice will never prevail!
Amen to that!